December 25 is a fast day this year.

[Binyamin Yisrael]

https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/shabbat-shalom-easy-fast-merry-xmas-wear-a-mask/

Last Friday was the first day of Hanukkah, this Friday is the last, and next Friday is… complicated.

It’s the last Friday of 2020. It’s Erev Shabbat, as every Friday is. But it’s also Christmas–and the Fast of 10 Tevet. (XXmas?)

The problem with making Hanukkah “the Jewish Christmas” (even though Christmas seems pretty Jewy to start, what with all those Jews in that manger) is that although Christmas often falls on one of the eight days of Hanukkah, it’s based on a totally different calendar. So Hanukkah may actually overlap with Thanksgiving (as in 2013) or Christmas may land on this Jewish fast day.

And 10 Tevet is a powerful day. Chronologically, it’s the first post-Sinai holiday, commemorating the beginning of the Siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon 2,608 years ago. It commemorates the human tragedy of the destruction of the First Temple, the isolation and fear and privation of being stuck in one’s home for months on end as the nation descends into chaos, while death and disease stalk the streets. IDK, is that still relevant in 2020?

10 Tevet is so essential that it’s the only fast on a Friday. It’s profoundly bizarre to  welcome the Sabbath Queen on such an empty stomach, but that’s what we’ll do next Friday, while much of the world is making the Yuletide gay. Or you can catch it the next time it happens, in 2172.

But the fact of the matter is that Christmas is a much larger part of most English-speaking Jews’ lives than 10 Tevet. It’s why we keep trying to jazz up Hanukkah, arguing that it’s better than Christmas. It’s not. It’s never going to be. Christmas is a global brand, with iconography that’s arguably more popular worldwide than the religion that spawned it. It’s all about the IP.

My fellow Members of the Tribe get very defensive about this, especially my friends on the left/ liberal/ progressive side of the aisle. They were triggered by, of all things, a blog post in the parenting section of the New York Times website, “Saying Goodbye to Hanukkah,” which said it quite simply:

We celebrated every holiday secularly, like Halloween or Thanksgiving 一 except Hanukkah. Each of those eight nights we’d recite the Hebrew prayer about God while lighting the menorah. We memorized the syllables and repeated them, but they had no meaning to us and my parents didn’t expect, or want, us to believe what we were reciting. We were trying to honor my dad’s heritage, but it wasn’t a custom he truly wanted to hold on to…

I wish my beliefs matched up with nurturing a link to past generations who repeated the same holy celebrations every year without questioning which or whether to celebrate. My religious family in Jerusalem finds comfort in knowing exactly what to do at every time of year, every life event and every Friday night. Editing how or when to light their candles never crosses their minds. This year more than ever, I wish for that same reassurance.

I found this sentiment echoed in, of all places, Disney Music’s “Puppy for Hanukkah.”

That blessing is a bop, now I’ve said it
Not sure what it means, but I learned it phonetic
By the way, you got a present for me, is it what I wanted?
Pass that shamash, let’s get the flame started.

At first glance, Sarah Prager from the blog and Daveed Diggs from the video have little in common, but for both Hanukkah is about saying a prayer they don’t understand and lighting some candles. The eleven-year-old version of Daveed is excited about the presents–and his Hebrew school education is clear, as he himself uses the Ashkenazic pronunciation even as the official lyrics endorse the Sephardic–but we know that in a year or two he “opted out of a bar mitzvah… When I was young, I identified with being Jewish, but I embraced my dad’s side too.”

If Hanukkah is the only time Jewish identity is expressed, kids will ultimately see through it. They may reject it, they may embrace it, but they won’t own it. Identity is lived experience, it’s an everyday thing. It’s who you are. Neither Sarah nor Daveed needs me, a cishet white man, to tell them that. But I’m also a Jew who knows our calendar doesn’t begin and end with Hanukkah. And that’s worth blogging and rapping about too.

[Binyamin Yisrael]

Darkness & Light: Understanding Xmas in our times
By Reuven Ibragimov

1
Regel Yeshara, 10, cited in Minhag Yisrael Torah O.C. 155:15.

"Nittel Nacht" originate from. Some suggest that it comes from the Latin "Natale Dominus", meaning, "The birth of our God". Others surmise that the use of the word Nittel etymologically comes from the Hebrew "natal", meaning "to have been hanged". Nittel can also be construed as the Hebrew word for "being taken away". These latter interpretations of the word Nittel would seem to support an obscure theory that Jesus was actually killed on Christmas. Alternatively, it may simply be a derogatory nickname that was used to refer to Jesus in all circumstances. The more likely meaning of the term Nittel is that of an acronym for "Nolad Yeshu Tet L'tevet", meaning, "Jesus was born on the ninth of Tevet."

2
Nitei Gavriel Minhagei Nittel footnote 5:1

Refraining from Torah study is intended to serve as a sign of mourning. Mourners, including all Jews on Tisha B'av, are forbidden from studying Torah, as it is an activity which makes one happy. The "mourning" was for the rivers of Jewish blood that have been spilled throughout the ages, all perpetrated in the name of Jesus. Some Chassidic Rebbes went so far as to even refrain from sleep on Christmas Eve lest they dream about Torah.

3
Igrot Kodesh 7:23 cited in Shut Reiach Hasade 1:17
The Tzemach Tzedek of Lubavitch was once "caught" learning Torah on Nittel Nacht but quickly repented.

4
Bnei Yissaschar, Regel Yeshara, 10

Chassidic legend relates that wild dogs would visit those who "violated" the custom and studied Torah on Nittel Nacht

5
Taamei Haminhagim 500, Minhag Yisrael Torah O.C. 155:15

The most predominant and logical of explanations for the origin of Nittel Nacht customs, namely, the abandonment of Torah study and the closure of batei midrash on Christmas Eve was in fear of possible pogroms. It was common in the Middle-Ages for the Christians to unleash pogroms in honor of their holidays. By forbidding Torah study there was essentially no reason for anyone to leave their homes on Christmas Eve.

6
Shem Mishmuel Vol 2 p.75

Torah study at home was also not an option as it was quite rare for individuals to own their own books in those years. There were even some regions where the Jewish community was told to turn out their lights on Christmas Eve for their own safety. Some suggest that with Chanukah in close proximity to Christmas, the dreidel was a game invented in order to pass the time while sitting in one's home waiting out any fear of pogroms.

7
Emunat Itecha (Rabbi Moshe Wolfson)

The gematria of Nittel is the same as Chanuka alluding that proper observance of Chanuka can override the concerns of Nittel.

Miketz; heard from Rabbi Faivel Smiles. (The Gematriatic connection is a major strech. A.E.)

8
Sefer Haminhagim Chabad, Hayom Yom p.12

A mystical perspective to the prohibition on studying Torah on Nittel Night has it that by studying Torah one is contributing positive spiritual powers to the world.

9
Nitei Gavriel Minhagei Nittel footnote 5:4

It was believed inappropriate to make such contributions on a night of widespread idolatry during pogroms, and inappropriate merriment. There was also the concern that one's Torah study may go on to unwillingly serve as a merit for Jesus' soul, which was also undesired. This idea corresponds to the teaching that Torah study and prayer are said to give respite to the souls of all the wicked.

10
Nitei Gavriel Minhagei Nittel footnote 2:4

Some communities maintain that one is only to abstain from Torah study until midnight, while others did so until the next morning.

11
Nitei Gavriel Minhagei Nittel footnote 4:11, as advised by the Chatam Sofer

In other communities the custom was to go to sleep in the early evening and then wake up for a Torah study session after midnight. It would reflect badly in Heaven for Jews to sleep soundly throughout the night while the Gentiles were up in their places of worship praying to God.

12
Nitei Gavriel Minhagei Nittel footnote 5:1

There was also a custom to refrain from marital relations or going to the mikvah on Nittel Nacht.

13
Sefer Baal Shem Tov Vol. 2:43a

Conception on Nittel Nacht will breed an apostate

14
בראשית ל״ט:ז׳
(ז) וַיְהִ֗י אַחַר֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וַתִּשָּׂ֧א אֵֽשֶׁת־אֲדֹנָ֛יו אֶת־עֵינֶ֖יהָ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֑ף וַתֹּ֖אמֶר שִׁכְבָ֥ה עִמִּֽי׃
Genesis 39:7
(7) After a time, his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph and said, “Lie with me.”
15
Emunat Itecha; Miketz.

Joseph could not study Torah that night, hence he went to do "his work" (v.11) The attempted seduction of Joseph by Mrs. Potiphar occurred on Nittel Nacht

16
Nitei Gavriel Minhagei Nittel 2:2,3

When exactly is the "halachic" Christmas Eve is actually subject to dispute as well. Some authorities recommend that the eve of December 25, as is Christmas in most of the Western World, is to be observed as Nittel Nacht, referred to as "Nittel Hakatan". Others suggest of course that the true Nittel Nacht is to correspond to the January 7 celebrations, the Christmas of the Greek Orthodox, referred to as "Nittel Hagadol". Common custom among most Nittel Nacht observers is to observe Nittel Nacht in accordance with the majority Christian community where one lives.

17
Nitei Gavriel Minhagei Nittel 6:1

Nittel Nacht customs were never established to be observed in the Land of Israel as Christianity had never been a dominant force there. It is also argued that the holiness of the Land of Israel overcomes any of the mystical concerns surrounding Christmas, especially those related to superstition and impurity.

18
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nittel_Nacht

Known in Hebrew as Leil HaNital (Hebrew: לֵיל הַנִיטָל‎ or לֵיל הַנִיתָל). Other names include Blinde Nacht (Yiddish: בלינדע נאַכט‎, "Blind Night"), Vay Nacht (Woe Night), Goyim Nacht ("Gentiles' Night"), Tole Nacht ("Night of the Crucified One"), Yoyzls Nacht ("Jesus Night"), Finstere Nacht ("Dark Night"), and Moyredike Nacht ("Fearful Night").[1]

19
בראשית א׳:א׳-ה׳
(א) בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹקִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ב) וְהָאָ֗רֶץ הָיְתָ֥ה תֹ֙הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ וְחֹ֖שֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י תְה֑וֹם וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹקִ֔ים מְרַחֶ֖פֶת עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַמָּֽיִם׃ (ג) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֖ים יְהִ֣י א֑וֹר וַֽיְהִי־אֽוֹר׃ (ד) וַיַּ֧רְא אֱלֹקִ֛ים אֶת־הָא֖וֹר כִּי־ט֑וֹב וַיַּבְדֵּ֣ל אֱלֹקִ֔ים בֵּ֥ין הָא֖וֹר וּבֵ֥ין הַחֹֽשֶׁךְ׃ (ה) וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֱלֹקִ֤ים ׀ לָאוֹר֙ י֔וֹם וְלַחֹ֖שֶׁךְ קָ֣רָא לָ֑יְלָה וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם אֶחָֽד׃ (פ)
Genesis 1:1-5
(1) When God began to create heaven and earth— (2) the earth being unformed and void, with darkness over the surface of the deep and a wind from God sweeping over the water— (3) God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. (4) God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. (5) God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, a first day.

[Binyamin Yisrael]

10 Tevet also mourns the creation of Xtianity.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toledot_Yeshu

[Nachus]

                                                                                                                          

Thank you for acknowledging this Binyamin Yisrael as all of the fasts as
well as this ‘seige’ of Jerusalem by the Babylonians fast are important.